Following a Tuesday meeting with owner Ralph Wilson, Mike Mularkey has accepted an offer to coach the Buffalo Bills.

Mularkey emerged from his all-day meeting with Wilson and started calling Bills assistants Tuesday night to let them know he had taken the job. Mularkey, most recently the Steelers' offensive coordinator, was among the final three candidates along with former Bears coach Dick Jauron and Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis.

The 42-year-old Mularkey won the job because of his past relationship with Bills general manager Tom Donahoe and his bright offensive mind. Mularkey was a candidate for the Falcons' job and has been considered a hot assistant coach for the past couple of years.

Mularkey played tight end from 1983 through 1991 for the Vikings and the Steelers. He started coaching in 1993 at Concordia and joined the Bucs as an assistant in 1994 and 1995.

Bill Cowher hired him with the Steelers in 1996, and he eventually became offensive coordinator.

For a while, the Bills were considering an experienced head coach after letting former Titans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams go after three seasons. Jauron and Jim Fassel were at the top of that list. Then thoughts shifted to offense.

The offense slumped badly in 2003 under coordinator Kevin Gilbride, dropping statistically to 30th in the NFL, after ranking No. 11 the previous year. Buffalo won its first two games of the season, outscoring opponents 69-17, then lost seven of its next nine outings. After those first two victories, the Bills scored 20 or more points just four times and averaged only 15.2 points a game for the season.

Buffalo's 243 points for the season represented the second-fewest for the franchise in a 16-game campaign and came after an '02 season in which the Bills scored 379 points. That plummet mirrored the performance of quarterback Drew Bledsoe, who will return next year.

The 11-year veteran threw 11 touchdown passes, had 12 interceptions and posted an efficiency rating of 73.0. That was Bledsoe's lowest rating since the '95 season. The touchdown passes were the fewest Bledsoe has thrown in any full season. He had only one game with 300 passing yards and just three outings with 250 or more yards. Over the last nine games, Bledsoe had one game in which he threw for over 200 yards and five in which he had 150 yards or less.

Mularkey made effective players out of Kordell Stewart and Tommy Maddox, and the key for Buffalo in 2004 will be how well he works with Bledsoe.

Buffalo dramatically improved its defense in 2003, with a number of acquisitions that resulted in a No. 2 overall ranking, but the offensive woes scuttled the season. There is, though, playoff-caliber talent on hand if Mularkey can get Bledsoe turned around.

Mularkey is expected to offer the defensive coordinator job to current assistant coach Dick LeBeau. He may also pursue current Steelers quarterback coach Tom Clements to be his offensive coordinator.

The Bills also interviewed defensive coordinators Romeo Crennel of New England, Lovie Smith of St. Louis and Buffalo's Jerry Gray.

Mularkey had interviewed for head coaching positions in recent years and, last January, was offered the Bengals' job ahead of Marvin Lewis. For contractual and personal reasons, Mularkey turned down the offer.

Not exactly a star studded short list that it came down to but I guess they got the best of the three.

I still think Bledsoe's got the talent to do a job if they get the right guy coaching (and also a damned good line to give him the time he......always........takes), and theres enough talent on defense there that it should be possible to turn them around without excessive personnel changes.

I've still got something of a soft spot for the Bills (heck I'd cheer ANYONE against Dallas in a Superbowl) so I hope he does a job for them. And if nothing else the headline writers can have a field day thinking up witty puns to play on his name.

The bridesmaid finally gets to be a bride. He has rumored for quite a few jobs over the years. Lewis and Dungy have been turned down for a number of jobs over the years so it should be interesting to see how Mularkey will do.

Kind of surprising. I'd read that Fassell and Weis were pretty much the final two candidates.

I'm also surprised they didn't go with Fassell, just based on experience. Williams had no experience at head coaching when they hired him, and look how that turned out. I'm also surprised because if Donahoe blows it on this hiring, he may be outta the fold, too. Remember: he could've had Fox or Lewis last time.

It would've been fun if they would've hired Coughlin, because he's a local guy, and the main reason, so I could go to Bills camp and listen to Coughlin rip the players during practice.

Originally posted by geemoneyKind of surprising. I'd read that Fassell and Weis were pretty much the final two candidates.

I'm also surprised they didn't go with Fassell, just based on experience. Williams had no experience at head coaching when they hired him, and look how that turned out. I'm also surprised because if Donahoe blows it on this hiring, he may be outta the fold, too. Remember: he could've had Fox or Lewis last time.

It would've been fun if they would've hired Coughlin, because he's a local guy, and the main reason, so I could go to Bills camp and listen to Coughlin rip the players during practice.

Fassell would've been the best choice for Buffalo. He is known for helping QB's improve their game. He did help Collins with the Giants and he could've done the same for Bledsoe.

Believe me, I'm not defending message boards -- they can be evil places